Compare towns
Phippsburg vs Saco vs Deer Isle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
Saco has the most expensive homes ($413k median).
Deer Isle has the most people working from home (22%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Phippsburg | Saco | Deer Isle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,238Lowest |
20,819Highest |
2,470 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
52.6±5.6 17% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Deer Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$62,284±$15kLowest 17% below ME |
| Phippsburg and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
$413,100±$17kHighest 39% above ME |
$308,300±$42kLowest 4% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,909±$927Highest 68% above ME |
| Deer Isle and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,034 33% below ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$1,890Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
25.4%±17.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8% ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
24 minHighest 3% below ME |
20 minLowest 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
22%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Deer Isle and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #38 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Saco Public Schools | Deer Isle-Stonington CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Deer Isle-Stonington High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.